Method for producing patch pockets on articles of clothing

ABSTRACT

Methods for rationally producing patch pockets on articles of clothing, in which the pocket cuts are attached to the clothing by means of two parallel running or side by side arranged seams. The seams are sewn by single needle sewing machines at automatic sewing stations in connection with a preparing station and waiting stations. This reduces the operator&#39;&#39;s waiting time caused by the sewing time of the sewing machine and the time for inserting the pocket cuts and positioning of the garments. Patch pockets of the same or different size and shape in a continuous sequence may thus be produced.

United States Patent Scholl Dec. 4, 1973 METHOD FOR PRODUCING PATCH 'POCKETS ON ARTICLES or CLOTHING [75] Inventor: Hans Scholl, Bielefeld, Germany [73] Assignee: Koch Adler AG, Bielefeld, Germany 22 Filed: Nov. 15, 1972 21 Appl. No.1 306,737

[30] Foreign ApplicationPriority Data Nov. 17, 1971 Germany P 21 57 042.3

[52] US. Cl. 112/262, 112/121.l5 [51] Int. Cl D05b 1/00 [58] Field of Search 112/l21.l2, 121.15,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 9/1937 Daughters 1l2/l21l2 4/1959 Nassef... 223/38 8/1964 Arbter 1l2/l21.l5

3,528,378 9/1970 Westhoff ll2/l21.15 3,552,336 1/1971 Brandrifi' l12/l2l.15 3,713,406 1/1973 Futter '1l2/l2l.l5

Primary Examiner.la.mes R. Boler Att0rneyJacOb L. Kollin [5 7] ABSTRACT Methods for rationally producing patch pockets on articles of clothing, in which the pocket cuts are attached to the clothing by means of two parallel running or side by side arranged seams. The seams are sewn by single needle sewing machines at automatic sewing stations in connection 'with a preparing station and waiting stations. This reduces the operator's waiting time caused by the sewing time of the sewing machine and the time for inserting the pocket cuts and positioning'of the garments. Patch pockets of the same or different size and shape in a continuous sequence may thus be produced.

3 Claims, 31 Drawing lh'gures PATENTEDBEB M975 3,776,162

I SHEET 10E 3 v PATENTEDDE 41915 87761162 SHEET 2 BF 3 METHOD FOR PRODUCING PATCH POCKETS ON ARTICLES OF CLOTHING BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to methods for producing patch pockets on garments in a continuous sequence.

In the conventional manufacture of so-called patch pockets the pocket cuts must be of a size which is somewhat larger than the finished pocket, in order to fold the edges of the pocket cuts along three sides under the influence of heat and/or pressure by means of a special device. This device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,880,916, in which the thus prepared pocket cuts are manually fed under the needle of a sewing machine for stitching the pocket cut to the garment by means of an U-shaped seam. However, there are already known devices for the production of patch pockets mechanically.

In U.S. Pat. No. 3,143,091 there is described a feeding arrangement, which automatically receives the pocket cut supplied by a folding device and feeds it to the garment part, which is positioned in the sewing machine, for sewing the folded edges of the pocket cut to the garment.

Furthermore, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,528,378 there is disclosed a sewing device, which is capable of carrying out most of the operations which were previously carried out by hand. The invention disclosed in said patent provides a machine capable of folding the edges of a pocket cut inwardly as well as holding the pocket cut with its inwardly folded edges in a predetermined position with respect to a garment. The latter, together with the pocket member, is transported from a preparing station, where the aforesaid operations are carried out, to a sewing station where the sewing is carried out.

Moreover, there are known devices for automatically positioning on, and sewing pocket pieces to garments, wherein the pocket cut is loaded into a clamp of a fixture, in which the pocket shape is set, and a sewing margin is established in a shape corresponding to template connected to the frame carrying the fixture. Control means permit the fixture to be operated in a step fasion, permitting the pocket cut to be set and subsequently sewn to the garment along the margin. Such a device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,552,336.

Finally, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,094,528 there is disclosed an automatic device, in which a plurality of plate-like jigs adapted to hold the garment parts and the pockets cuts to be stitched to the garment. A conveyor is provided for carrying and depositing a loaded jig under the sewing machine, which is provided with automatic means for actuating the jig under the needle. After the sewing operation, the conveyor means are associated again with the jig and the latter is moved out of the op erative position.

It will be apparent that those of the aforesaid known devices are more economical, where the preparatory works, i.e. the adjustment of the garment, the inserting of the pocket cut, as well as the folding of its edges are made at a station, which is separated from the sewing station. The more economical method'of operation results from the fact, that a longer operating time is necessary for sewing of a prepared pocket cut to the gar- Considering that it is usually impossible to increase the sewing speed of the template controlled sewing machines, there may occur a time lag resulting from the sewing time and the preparing time, which is sufficient for the operator tocharge a second sewing unit. Especially is this possible when producing relatively large pockets with a corresponding long seam or pockets with two seams in parallel or side-byside arrangement.

Until now, the manufacturing of patch pockets with two parallel seams by means of a two needle sewing machine took place'by manually guiding the garment parts and the pocket cuts under the needles. The application of a two-needle sewing machine in an automatic sewing device for sewing a pocket cut to a garment in one sewing cycle met with considerable difiiculties with respect to the control of such a sewing machine or the workpiece, especially with regard to the disengaging and engaging of one of the two needle bars in the corners of the pockets during the turning of the workpiece or the sewing machine for the purpose of changing the sewing direction.

Therefore it appeared advantageous to produce a patch pocket having two parallel seams, by means of an automatically controlled one-needle sewing machine in such a manner, that the first seam would be sewn in a first cycle and the second seam in a subsequent second cycle. However, this method has the disadvantage that the unproductive waiting time of the operator resulting from the sewing time and the preparation timewill still be longer than in case of sewing only one seam.

It is an object of the invention to provide methods for economically producing patch pockets on garments with the aid of already known automatic means and sewing devices, which render possible a reduction of the operators waiting time resulting from the sewing time of the sewing machine and the time needed by the operator for inserting the pocket cut and positioning the garment to a lower limit, in order to produce patch pockets of the same or a different shape in a continuous sequence.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the description of the invention and the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGS. 1a 1k illustrate in diagrammatic representations the individual steps of a first method of producing patch pockets by means of an installation including one preparing station, two waiting stations and two sewing stations,

FIGS. 2a 21 are diagrammatic representations of the steps of a further method for producing patch pockets by means of an installation including a folding station for the pocket cuts, two preparing and waiting stations and two sewing stations, and

FIGS. 3a 3k illustrate the steps of a third method for producing patch pockets by means ofan installation ment than the operating time required by the operator for positioning the workpiece, inserting the pocket cut into the folding device and operating the latter.

provided with a central folding station for the pocket cuts, two preparing and waiting stations, one arranged to the left and one to the right of the folding station, and one sewing station to the leftand another one to the right of the preparing and waiting stations.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to the drawing, FIGS. la 1k, the installation for producing patch pockets on garments is provided with a preparing station V for the pocket cuts Z and the workpieces B, a first waiting station W 1, a second waiting station W 2, a first sewing station N 1 and a second sewing station N 2. The installation is further provided with a number of movable clamping means K 1 K for clamping the workpieces B l and the pocket cuts Z 1 of which the edges have been folded by mean of a folding device F of the preparing station V, and for moving the superposed and oppositely aligned workpieces B and pocket cuts Z from one station to the other. These means may be similar to those disclosed in US. Pat. Nos. 3,528,378 and 2,094,528.

The operation of the machines is as follows:

After positioning of a first garment B1 in the preparing station V, there follows successively the inserting of a first pocket cut Z l in the folding device F, the placing and fixing of the first pocket cut Z 1, with the folded edges on the first workpiece Bl, by means of the first clamping means K 1, transferring of the first clamping means K 1 together with the first pocket cut Z 1 and the first garment B 1 to the first waiting station W l; positioning of a second garment B2 in the preparing station V; inserting of a second pocket cut Z 2 in the folding device F; placing and fixing of the second pocket cut Z 2 with the folded edges on the second garment B2 by means of a second clamping means K2; transferring of the second clamping means together with the fixed second pocket cut Z 2 and the second garment B2 to the second waiting station W2, jointly transferring of both workpiece clamping means K 1, K 2 together with the two garments B 1, B2 and the two pocket cuts Z 1, Z 2 from the waiting stations W 1, W2 to the first and second sewing stations N 1, N 2 and automatically sewing of the pocket cuts Z 1, Z 2 to the garments B 1, B 2. During sewing of the sewing stations N 1, N 2, the operator is in a position to prepare a third and fourth garment B 3, B 4 in the preparing station V and to transfer these ones to the waiting stations W l, W 2, and, after termination of sewing and removal of the garments B 1, B 2 out of the sewing stations N l, N 2, to move the garments B 3, B 4 received in the clamping means K 3, K 4 jointly to the sewing stations N 1, N 2.

Consequently, during the automatic and simultaneous sewing of two pockets, the two following garments are prepared by the operator. It is also possible to provide more than two sewing stations and a corresponding number of waiting stations, provided that the time required for the sewing of a pocket to a garment leaves sufficient time to the operator to prepare more than two garments during the sewing cycle.

As will be apparent from FIGS. la 1k and described above, in this method the garments are individually fed into the preparing station V and provided with pocket cuts, in order to be subsequently brought into the waiting stations W l resp. W 2. In the application of the method diagrammatically represented in FIGS. 2a 21, the garments B1 and B2 are fed to a first and a second preparing and waiting station VW l and VW 2 for positioning (FIGS. 2a, 2b). Thereupon a first pocket cut, Z l is inserted in the folding station U for folding the edges (FIG. Subsequently, the folded pocket cut Z l is laid and fixed on the first garment B l which is in the first preparing and waiting station VW 1 (FIG. 2d), in which it remains as long as a next pocket cut Z 2 inserted in the folding station U is laid and fixed on the garment B 2 positioned in the preparing and waiting station VW 2. After this, both garments B l, B 2 are simultaneously transferred to the two sewing stations N 1,.N2 for simultaneously sewing the pocket cuts Z I, Z 2 to the garments B 1, B 2 (FIG. 2]). During sewing, the following garments B 3 and B 4 are prepared according to the above mentioned manner (FIGS. 2g 2k) and remain in the preparing and waiting stations VW 1 and VW 2 (FIGS. 2k 21) until the two garments B l and B 2 are removed out of the sewing stations N 1 and N According to the method described in FIGS.3a 3k,

the garment B l is fed to a preparing station VW 1 located between the first sewing station N l and the folding station U, where it is positioned and clampedby means of a workpiece clamping device K11. Subsequently, the first pocket cut Z l is brought into the folding station U (FIG. for folding the edges. Then the folded pocket cut is placed and fixed on the first garment B 1 (FIG. 3b) in the first preparing station VW 1. After this,.the second garment B2 is fed to the second preparing station VW 2 located between the second sewing station N2 and the folding station U, where it is positioned and clamped by means of a workpiece clamping device K2. After this, the following pocket cut Z 2 is manipulated in the folding station U (FIG. 3i c) and laid and fixed on the second garment B2 in the second preparing station VW 2, whereafter both garments B 1 and B 2 are transferred to the two sewing stations N 1 and N2, in which the pocket cuts Z 1 and Z 2 are sewn to the garments B 1 and B 2 (FIG. 3f 3i) and subsequently sewn (FIGS.- 3h) after the garments B l and B 2 are removed from the sewing stations N l and N 2.

What I claim is:

1. A method for producing patch pockets on articles of clothing in a continuous sequence by mean of an installation including a preparing station having folding means for the pocket cuts, a first and a second waiting station, a first and a second sewing station provided with automatic means for attaching prepared pocket cuts to the garments by means of seams, comprising the steps of positioning a first workpiece in said preparing station, inserting a first pocket cut in said folding means located in said preparing station, placing and fixing said first pocket cut with the folded edges on said first workpiece by means of a first clamping means, transferring said first clamping means together with said fixed first pocket cut and said first workpiece to said first waiting station, positioning a second workpiecee in said preparing station, inserting a second pocket cut in said folding means located in said preparing station, placing and fix ing. said second pocket cut with the folded edges on said second workpiece by means of a second clamping means, transferring said second clamping means together with said fixed second pocket cut and said second workpiece to said second waiting station, commonly transferring of both workpiece clamping means together with said two workpieces and said two pocket cuts from said two waiting stations to said first and second sewing stations, automatically sewing said pocket cuts to said workpieces during sewing positioning a third workpiece in said preparing station, inserting a third pocket cut in said folding means located in said preparing station, placing and fixing said third pocket cut with the folded edges on said third workpiece by means of a third clamping means, transferring said third clamping means together with aid third pocket cut and said third workpiece to said first waiting station, positioning a fourth workpiece in said preparing station, inserting a fourth pocket cut in said folding means located in said preparing station, placing and fixing said fourth pocket cut with the folded edges on said fourth clamping means together with said fixed fourth pocket cut and said fourth workpiece to said second waiting station, after termination of sewing commonly removing said first and second workpieces provided with patch pockets out of said first and secondsewing stations and simultaneously transferring said third and fourth workpiece clamping' means together with said third and fourth workpieces and said third and fourth pocket cuts from said two waiting stations to said first and second sewing stations, during these operations positioning a fifth workpiece in said preparing station, inserting a fifth pocket cut in said folding means located in said preparing station, and continuously repeating the sequence of said steps.

2. A method for producing patch pockets on articles of clothing in a continuous sequence by means of an installation including a first preparing and waiting station, a second preparing and waiting station, a folding station for the pocket cuts, a first and a second sewing station provided with automatic means for attaching the prepared pocket cuts to the garments by means of seams, comprising the steps of positioning a first workpiece in said first preparing and waiting station, positioning a second workpiece in said second preparing and waiting station, inserting a first pocket cut in said folding station, transferring said first pocket out to said first preparing and waiting station and placing and fixing said first pocket cut with the folded edges on said first workpiece, inserting a second pocket cut in said folding station, transferring said second pocket cut to said second preparing and waiting station and placing and fixing said second pocket cut with the folded edges on said second workpiece, jointly transferring said first and said second workpieces together with said two pocket cuts from said two preparing and waiting stations to said first and second sewing stations, automatically sewing on said pocket cuts to said workpieces, during automatic sewing positioning a third workpiece in said first preparing and waiting station, positioning a fourth workpiece in said second preparing and waiting station, positioning a fourth workpiece in said second preparing and waiting station, inserting a third pocket cut in said folding station, transferring said third pocket cut to said first preparing and waiting station and placing and fixing said third pocket cut with the folded edges on said third workpiece, inserting a fourth pocket cut in said folding station, transferring said fourth pocket cut to said second preparing and waiting station and placing and fixing said fourth pocket cut with the folded edges on said fourth workpiece, after termination of sewing jointly removing said first and second workpieces provided with patch pockets out of said first and second sewing stations and simulta-' -neously transferring said third and fourth workpieces paring and waiting stations to said first and second sew-- ing stations, during these operations positioning a fifth workpiece in said first preparing and waiting station and repeating the sequences of said steps.

3. A method for producing patch pockets on'articles of clothing in a continuous sequence by means of an installation including a folding station for the pocket cuts, a first preparing and waiting station placed lefthand from said folding station, a second preparing and waiting station placed righthand from said folding station, a first sewing station placed left-hand from said first preparing and waiting station and a second sewing station placed right-hand from said second preparing and waiting station, comprising the steps positioning a first workpiece in said left preparing and waiting station, inserting a first pocket cut in said folding station, transferring said first pocket cut to said left preparing and waiting station and placing and fixing said first pocket cut with the folded edges on said first workpiece, positioning a second workpiece in said right preparing and waiting station, inserting a second pocket cut in said folding station, transferring said second pocket cut to said right preparing and waiting station and placing and fixing said second pocket cut with the folded edges on said second workpiece, transferring said first workpiece together with said first pocket cut from said left preparing and waiting station to said first sewing station and simultaneously transferring said second workpiece together with said second pocket cut from said right preparing and waiting station to said second sewing station,- automatically sewing on said pocket cuts to said workpieces, during sewing positioning a third workpiece in said left preparing. and waiting station, inserting a third pocket cut in said folding station, tranferring said third pocket cut to said left preparing and waiting station and placing and fixing said third pocket cut with the folded edges on said third workpiece, positioning a fourth workpiece in said right preparing and waiting station, inserting a fourth pocket cut in said folding station, transferring said fourth pocket cut to said right preparing and waiting station and placing and fixing said fourth pocket cut with the folded edges of said fourth workpiece, after termination of sewing simultaneously removing said first workand repeating the sequence of said steps. 

1. A method for producing patch pockets on articles of clothing in a continuous sequence by mean of an installation including a preparing station having folding means for the pocket cuts, a first and a second waiting station, a first and a second sewing station provided with automatic means for attaching prepared pocket cuts to the garments by means of seams, comprising the steps of positioning a first workpiece in said preparing station, inserting a first pocket cut in said folding means located in said preparing station, placing and fixing said first pocket cut with the folded edges on said first workpiece by means of a first clamping means, transferring said first clamping means together with said fixed first pocket cut and said first workpiece to said first waiting station, positioning a second workpiecee in said preparing station, inserting a second pocket cut in said folding means located in said preparing station, placing and fixing said second pocket cut with the folded edges on said second workpiece by means of a second clamping means, transferring said second clamping means together with said fixed second pocket cut and said second workpiece to said second waiting station, commonly transferring of both workpiece clamping means together with said two workpieces and said two pocket cuts from said two waiting stations to said first and second sewing stations, automatically sewing said pocket cuts to said workpieces during sewing positioning a third workpiece in said preparing station, inserting a third pocket cut in said folding means located in said preparing station, placing and fixing said third pocket cut with the folded edges on said third workpiece by means of a third clamping means, transferring said third clamping means together with aid third pocket cut and said third workpiece to said first waiting station, positioning a fourth workpiece in said preparing station, inserting a fourth pocket cut in said folding means located in said preparing station, placing and fixing said fourth pocket cut with the folded edges on said fourth clamping means together with said fixed fourth pocket cut and said fourth workpiece to said second waiting station, after termination of sewing commonly removing said first and second workpieces provided with patch pockets out of said first and secondsewing stations and simultaneously transferring said third and fourth workpiece clamping means together with said third and fourth workpieces and said third and fourth pocket cuts from said two waiting stations to said first and second sewing stations, dUring these operations positioning a fifth workpiece in said preparing station, inserting a fifth pocket cut in said folding means located in said preparing station, and continuously repeating the sequence of said steps.
 2. A method for producing patch pockets on articles of clothing in a continuous sequence by means of an installation including a first preparing and waiting station, a second preparing and waiting station, a folding station for the pocket cuts, a first and a second sewing station provided with automatic means for attaching the prepared pocket cuts to the garments by means of seams, comprising the steps of positioning a first workpiece in said first preparing and waiting station, positioning a second workpiece in said second preparing and waiting station, inserting a first pocket cut in said folding station, transferring said first pocket out to said first preparing and waiting station and placing and fixing said first pocket cut with the folded edges on said first workpiece, inserting a second pocket cut in said folding station, transferring said second pocket cut to said second preparing and waiting station and placing and fixing said second pocket cut with the folded edges on said second workpiece, jointly transferring said first and said second workpieces together with said two pocket cuts from said two preparing and waiting stations to said first and second sewing stations, automatically sewing on said pocket cuts to said workpieces, during automatic sewing positioning a third workpiece in said first preparing and waiting station, positioning a fourth workpiece in said second preparing and waiting station, positioning a fourth workpiece in said second preparing and waiting station, inserting a third pocket cut in said folding station, transferring said third pocket cut to said first preparing and waiting station and placing and fixing said third pocket cut with the folded edges on said third workpiece, inserting a fourth pocket cut in said folding station, transferring said fourth pocket cut to said second preparing and waiting station and placing and fixing said fourth pocket cut with the folded edges on said fourth workpiece, after termination of sewing jointly removing said first and second workpieces provided with patch pockets out of said first and second sewing stations and simultaneously transferring said third and fourth workpieces and said third and fourth pocket cuts from said two preparing and waiting stations to said first and second sewing stations, during these operations positioning a fifth workpiece in said first preparing and waiting station and repeating the sequences of said steps.
 3. A method for producing patch pockets on articles of clothing in a continuous sequence by means of an installation including a folding station for the pocket cuts, a first preparing and waiting station placed left-hand from said folding station, a second preparing and waiting station placed righthand from said folding station, a first sewing station placed left-hand from said first preparing and waiting station and a second sewing station placed right-hand from said second preparing and waiting station, comprising the steps positioning a first workpiece in said left preparing and waiting station, inserting a first pocket cut in said folding station, transferring said first pocket cut to said left preparing and waiting station and placing and fixing said first pocket cut with the folded edges on said first workpiece, positioning a second workpiece in said right preparing and waiting station, inserting a second pocket cut in said folding station, transferring said second pocket cut to said right preparing and waiting station and placing and fixing said second pocket cut with the folded edges on said second workpiece, transferring said first workpiece together with said first pocket cut from said left preparing and waiting station to said first sewing station and simultaneously transferring said second workpiece together with said second pocket cut from said rIght preparing and waiting station to said second sewing station, automatically sewing on said pocket cuts to said workpieces, during sewing positioning a third workpiece in said left preparing and waiting station, inserting a third pocket cut in said folding station, tranferring said third pocket cut to said left preparing and waiting station and placing and fixing said third pocket cut with the folded edges on said third workpiece, positioning a fourth workpiece in said right preparing and waiting station, inserting a fourth pocket cut in said folding station, transferring said fourth pocket cut to said right preparing and waiting station and placing and fixing said fourth pocket cut with the folded edges of said fourth workpiece, after termination of sewing simultaneously removing said first workpiece provided with a patch pocket out of said first sewing station and said second workpiece provided with a patch pocket out of said second sewing station, and simultaneously transferring said third workpiece with said third pocket cut from said left preparing and waiting station to said first sewing station and said fourth workpiece with said pocket cut from said right preparing and waiting station to said second sewing station, and repeating the sequence of said steps. 